Pickens County, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Pickens County is a county
of the U.S. state
of Alabama
. As of 2010, the population was 19,746. Its county seat
is Carrollton
, and it is a prohibition, or dry county
.
hero General Andrew Pickens
of South Carolina
. The county seat was relocated from Pickensville
to Carrollton
in 1830. The first courthouse in Carrollton was burned on April 5, 1865, by troops of Union
General John T. Croxton
. A second courthouse was also destroyed by fire on November 16, 1876. Though arson was suspected, no arrest was made until January 1878, when Henry Wells, an African American
with some criminal history was arrested and locked in the garett of the new building, which had been erected in 1877. According to legend, Wells was peering down from the north garett window as a mob gathered to hang him. A bolt of lightning struck nearby and "etched" Wells' anguished face into the window glass. A vague image resembling a face can still be seen in that lower right-hand pane of that window. Also see: Pickens County Courthouse
.
On April 8, 1998, a supercell thunderstorm produced an F3 tornado in Pickens County. This windstorm injured two people and damaged five homes including mobile homes. It rotated seventeen miles (27 km) from Holman to north of Northport. Twenty-four homes and thirteen mobile homes were also in destruction. Moments later, that same supercell thunderstorm produced an F5 tornado struck northeastern Tuscaloosa near the Black Warrior River before entering western Jefferson County
where it destroyed Oak Grove High School and killed thirty-two people in its path.
of 2000, there were 20,949 people, 8,086 households, and 5,789 families residing in the county. The population density
was 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 9,520 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 55.95% White
, 42.96% Black
or African American
, 0.12% Native American
, 0.11% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.22% from other races
, and 0.63% from two or more races. About 0.70% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
.
There were 8,086 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples
living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. Nearly 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,254, and the median income for a family was $32,938. Males had a median income of $28,843 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,746. About 20.10% of families and 24.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.30% of those under age 18 and 22.30% of those age 65 or over.
.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. As of 2010, the population was 19,746. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Carrollton
Carrollton, Alabama
Carrollton is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 987. The city is the county seat of Pickens County....
, and it is a prohibition, or dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
.
History
Pickens County was established on December 20, 1820, and named for revolutionary warAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
hero General Andrew Pickens
Andrew Pickens (congressman)
Andrew Pickens was a militia leader in the American Revolution and a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.-Early life:...
of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The county seat was relocated from Pickensville
Pickensville, Alabama
Pickensville is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 662.-Geography:Pickensville is located at ....
to Carrollton
Carrollton, Alabama
Carrollton is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 987. The city is the county seat of Pickens County....
in 1830. The first courthouse in Carrollton was burned on April 5, 1865, by troops of Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
General John T. Croxton
John T. Croxton
John Thomas Croxton was an attorney, a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, and a postbellum U.S. diplomat.-Early life and career:...
. A second courthouse was also destroyed by fire on November 16, 1876. Though arson was suspected, no arrest was made until January 1878, when Henry Wells, an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
with some criminal history was arrested and locked in the garett of the new building, which had been erected in 1877. According to legend, Wells was peering down from the north garett window as a mob gathered to hang him. A bolt of lightning struck nearby and "etched" Wells' anguished face into the window glass. A vague image resembling a face can still be seen in that lower right-hand pane of that window. Also see: Pickens County Courthouse
Pickens County Courthouse
The Pickens County Courthouse in Carrollton, Alabama is a courthouse in west-central Alabama. It is famous for a ghostly image that can be seen in one of its windows, claimed to be the face of Henry Wells, who allegedly was falsely accused of burning down the town's previous courthouse and was...
.
On April 8, 1998, a supercell thunderstorm produced an F3 tornado in Pickens County. This windstorm injured two people and damaged five homes including mobile homes. It rotated seventeen miles (27 km) from Holman to north of Northport. Twenty-four homes and thirteen mobile homes were also in destruction. Moments later, that same supercell thunderstorm produced an F5 tornado struck northeastern Tuscaloosa near the Black Warrior River before entering western Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Alabama
Jefferson County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama, with its county seat being located in Birmingham.As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Jefferson County was 658,466...
where it destroyed Oak Grove High School and killed thirty-two people in its path.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 82
State Route 14State Route 14 (Alabama)State Route 14 in Alabama, also known as SR-14, is a public highway maintained by the state of Alabama. SR-14 runs from west to east through the central portion of the state...
State Route 17
State Route 32
State Route 86
Adjacent counties
- Lamar CountyLamar County, AlabamaLamar County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, member of the United States Senate from Mississippi. As of 2010 the population was 14,564...
(North) - Fayette CountyFayette County, AlabamaFayette County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette , who aided General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War. As of 2010 the population was 17,241...
(Northeast) - Tuscaloosa CountyTuscaloosa County, AlabamaTuscaloosa County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.It is named in honor of the pre-Choctaw chief Tuskaloosa. In 2010, the population was 194,656...
(East) - Greene CountyGreene County, AlabamaGreene County is the least populous county in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island. As of 2010 the population was 9,045...
(Southeast) - Sumter CountySumter County, AlabamaSumter County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.Its name is in honor of General Thomas Sumter of South Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 13,763. Its county seat is Livingston.-History:...
(South) - Noxubee County, MississippiNoxubee County, Mississippi-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,548 people, 4,470 households, and 3,222 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 5,228 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
(Southwest) - Lowndes County, MississippiLowndes County, MississippiAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,586 people, 22,849 households, and 16,405 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 25,104 housing units at an average density of 50 per square mile...
(West)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,949 people, 8,086 households, and 5,789 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 9,520 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 55.95% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 42.96% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.11% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.22% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.63% from two or more races. About 0.70% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
.
There were 8,086 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.80% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. Nearly 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 3.11.
In the county, the population was spread out with 27.30% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 25.80% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,254, and the median income for a family was $32,938. Males had a median income of $28,843 versus $20,569 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $13,746. About 20.10% of families and 24.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.30% of those under age 18 and 22.30% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- AlicevilleAliceville, AlabamaAliceville is a city in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,567. According to the 2005 U.S. Census estimates, the city had a population of 2,465. -Geography:...
- CarrolltonCarrollton, AlabamaCarrollton is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 987. The city is the county seat of Pickens County....
- EthelsvilleEthelsville, AlabamaEthelsville is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the town is 81. The town was named after Ethel Hancock, a one time resident and staple of the community. She was famous for being Mr. Hancock's daughter.-Geography:Ethelsville is located...
- GordoGordo, AlabamaGordo is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,677.-Geography:Gordo is located at ....
- MacedoniaMacedonia, AlabamaMacedonia is an unincorporated community in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. The population was 291 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town...
- McMullenMcMullen, AlabamaMcMullen is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. The population was 66 at the 2000 census. It has a 100% African American population, the only other such town in the US is Birdsong, Arkansas.-Geography:...
- MemphisMemphis, AlabamaMemphis, also known as Old Memphis, is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. The population was 33 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Memphis is located at .According to the U.S...
- PickensvillePickensville, AlabamaPickensville is a town in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 662.-Geography:Pickensville is located at ....
- ReformReform, AlabamaReform is a city in Pickens County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 1,978.The city is notorious for ticketing drivers in several speed traps. Speed limits drop from 65mph to 45mph within a short distance at the top of a hill. The police will sit on the other side of...
- McShanMcShan, AlabamaMcShan is an unincorporated community in Pickens County, Alabama, United States.-Geography:McShan is located at and has an elevation of ....
Places of interest
Pickens County is home to the Aliceville Museum and Cultural Center which houses artifacts from the Aliceville WWII POW camp. The county also contains Aliceville Lake and part of the Tombigbee RiverTombigbee River
The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 200 mi long, in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Alabama. It is one of two major rivers, along with the Alabama River, that unite to form the short Mobile River before it empties into Mobile Bay on the Gulf of Mexico...
.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Pickens County, Alabama
- Properties on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in Pickens County, Alabama
External links
- Genealogical and Historical Web Site
- Pickens County map of roads/towns (map © 2007 Univ. of AlabamaUniversity of AlabamaThe University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
). - Pickens County article, Encyclopedia of Alabama
